Personal Injury Cases Actors and Performers Face

Tuesday, September 3, 2013

Personal Injury Cases Actors and Performers Face

Written by Malman Law, reviewed by Steve J. Malman.

When you imagine some of the more dangerous industries to work in, your mind probably doesn’t automatically jump to acting or the performance industry, but the truth is that performers face the danger of being injured in ways that aren’t common in other industries. For that reason, personal injury attorneys who specialize in cases of injuries that actors and performers may experience are often sought out for legal representation.

Overworked Actors

Actors are hard workers who put in long hours a lot of the time, and for that reason, overexertion injuries are common. Excessive fatigue can lead to slips and falls, voice over-use issues, and other secondary injuries related to be excessively tired. Injury from sunburn or exposure can also occur when actors are spending long hours at the mercy of the elements. While some people may think this is merely part of the job description, the truth is that actors have some room for legal recourse if they’re injured while working. Personal injury attorneys handle cases that revolve around workplace injuries frequently, and injuries sustained by performers are not uncommon.

Unsafe Sets

Personal injury lawyers also deal with many cases that have to do with unsafe sets. This could mean that equipment falls on an actor due to poor set-up, or that a set has not been built sturdily enough and can collapse and cause injury. Whatever the case may be, if a set is not safe and causes a performer or actor to get hurt, the case can be treated like a workers compensation injury case.

Stunt-Related Injury

One type of injury that is somewhat unique to entertainers is any injury related to stunts performed. Many productions hire stunt people who are trained, however even then, that doesn’t mean that they don’t have any coverage in terms of legal action if they get seriously injured while doing their job.  Stunt actors are still able to file claims for personal injury and workers compensation if they’re hurt at work, and personal injury lawyers are the ones they call if they need legal help for it. If you’re an actor, stunt performer, or otherwise involved in the entertainment industry and you get hurt, you’re not stuck—call a personal injury lawyer for help with your situation.